


Eia Au, Eia 'Oe

by Letters_in_Arial



Category: Moana (2016)
Genre: Adventure, Mythology - Freeform, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, developing into romance, fictive places, hawaiian culture, older moana, platonic relationships at first, very slight racism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-19
Packaged: 2018-09-23 22:15:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9682091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Letters_in_Arial/pseuds/Letters_in_Arial
Summary: You've found yourself in a peculiar place with peculiar people. One of them is Maui, who makes sure to welcome you and help you. It's his job after all.But as a stranger it's hard to fit in. You have to learn how to life at this place, and how to overcome your confusion and fears. But you make some friends to help you along, and soon you find yourself deeply involved with the people, history and life of this world.





	1. Newcomer

**Author's Note:**

> This is nothing more than a simple story that developed in my mind. I do like the hawaiian culture, but I most likely won't get many things right, so please excuse any of the mistakes. 
> 
> But the movie Moana really captivated me, and Maui there is a pretty interesting character, if you ask me. He'll be a little out of character here, but let's see it that he gathered some new experiences over the years. Even a demigod learns a little more everyday.
> 
> For anyone who is curious: "Eia Au, Eia 'Oe" means something like "Here I am, here you are".  
> I hope you enjoy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You wake up in a foreign place, and you're confused, lost, and kind of helpless. Thankfully a stranger is nice enough to offer his help.  
> _____

The first thing you noticed was the soft ground underneath you. At first you thought it was a bed, but soon you figured out that it was sand. Soon you heard the sounds that fit to the ground: gentle waves washing up near you, some leaves rustling somewhere behind you, and the sharp calls of seagulls or other sea birds. You just thought how peaceful all of this was, and felt drowsy again. With a sigh you turned around and buried your hands into the soft and warm sand. The sun was shining brightly, but it wasn't too hot. It felt like heaven.  
  
And with that thought you shot up to a sitting position, opening your eyes. You shouldn't be here. You should be on your way to your appointment. But as you remembered more you experienced a small flashback. A car. A speeding car running over red had hit you as you crossed the street. You couldn't remember pain, or the impact. The only thing you remember is sleeping without dreaming, and then waking up here. On a beach and under palm trees. When you looked to your right you could see the endless ocean, and to your left wash a lush forest, maybe jungle. Confusion hit you, then desperation. Maybe you were in a coma, and now you experienced a very lucid dream? It didn't feel like a dream: the sun rays were tickling on your skin, the soft breezes weaving through your hair. You dug your shoes into the sand to have something to ground yourself. The most important thing was to stay calm. Breathe. Breathe again. And again.

Your thoughts were circling so fast that it was hard to figure out what to think at all. So your brain switched to instincts and only one thought inhabited your mind: Survive. So you got up and cleaned your jeans. You were still in the same outfit that you had on when you were on your way. Those clothes could be too warm for this place, you thought as you made the first few steps. Knees and legs were a little shaking, but you managed to reach the beginning of the jungle. You had no idea how long you've been laying there, but your stomach felt empty, and you had a disgusting taste in your mouth. Maybe you were able to find something to eat or some fresh water. But was is a good idea to just walk into a foreign forest, in a strange place, after washing up here when you actually should be-

You didn't finish the thought and walked between the trees. The thicket wasn't too bad, so you made progress in your way. You did see several animals, but none of them looked dangerous. You even recognized some birds, but you mostly just focused on the way ahead of you. Not that there was a path or anything, but you just continued. You had to occupy yourself with something, and exploring and finding essential resources seems to be a good way to do so. A faint hope rose in your chest: Maybe you find someone who can help you? At these times almost every island was uninhabitated: or at least visited often enough. Boats, planes and helicopters were going around all over the world: if you were visible enough you could be out of here in a matter of weeks. Months, at the maximum.

As you had these hopeful thoughts you saw fruits that you would recognize anywhere: bananas! You quickly sprinted to the tree and looked up. The tree wasn't big, not at all, as it didn't have enough space in this forest. But the bananas still hang too high to just jump and pick them up. So you had to climb. The thing is that you never were the fittest one, and until now it never was needed. You tried to see the positive side. Maybe now it was time to do some work out by surviving.

All of this wasn't so bad after all. You wanted to view it as a mandatory break from your life. Everything for you was put on hold except yourself. The only thing you had to do was to care for yourself. No chores, no money earning, no paper works, no appointments. Only eating, drinking, sleeping and staying safe. That couldn't be that hard, right? With these positive thoughts you nodded to yourself and looked up to the bananas. No matter how you did come here, you would do the best out of it. That was a good life motto, and you wanted to live it now. You rubbed your hands and tried to climb the tree, but you couldn't get a good grip on the rough bark and soon simply glided down the stem. You grumbled and tried again, this time using your feet as well. You managed to get closer to the bananas and you grit your teeth. Only a little more! After a while you reached out with one hand – and lost the grip, slid down the tree and landed on your butt with a painful „Ouf!“. Great.

Just when you tried to get up you heard a quiet chuckle. It was quiet and carried on with the breeze of the wind. You looked around, hoping to see someone, but no one was there. After listening for a while you shook your head. Maybe your dehydrated brain played tricks on you. Not surprising after what had happened to you. You looked up to the bananas again and huffed. Maybe you could find other fruits that were closer to the ground. Right now these fruits were unreachable. So you continued your walk and soon the forest lightened in front of you, revealing a clearing. You could see the ocean through the trees at one side, and you stepped to the edge of the clearing. You reached higher grounds, but you still couldn't see anything else but the ocean. You wondered how big this island was. When you turned around you saw more banana trees at the other hand of the clearing. Those were closer to the ground, and a few rocks were providing help. You sprinted over there, climbed the stone and picked a few bananas. Then you sat down on the moss covered stone and shoved the fruits into your mouth. Their flavor was rich and delicious, nothing like the bananas you bought in stores. When you finished the ones you picked you just had to stand up, grab more and eat more. And as long as you were eating you didn't have to think about the whole situation.  
  
Soon you were feeling better. There still were plenty of fruits on the tree above you, and knowing that you had a small food resource made you feel safer. As soon as a hint of safety hit your mind you felt exhausted. You had no idea how long you've been wandering around, but the climbing and fighting through leaves and branches has made you tired. Combine this with your severe confusion and desperation you felt powerless. So you laid down close to the banana tree and closed your eyes.

When you woke up again it was night. You saw the moon glistening between the leaves of the trees. You slowly got up and held your head; you had a huge headache. You blamed your dehydration on it and looked around. You were only focused on eating the last time that you didn't think of water to drink. But soon you saw coconuts and sighed in relief. Coconuts meant coconut water, which was nutritious and would help you. Tho, those were hanging really high and you never cracked a coconut before. But with a small shake of your head you got up and stepped up to the tree. Your survival was depending on this, you had to get up there and get at least one of these open. So you jumped right on it and help on to the tree with a deathly grip. Slowly you made your way up and didn't think of how badly it was going to hurt when you would fall down. But you didn't this time, and you were able to knock a few down. They fell to the ground, and soon you followed, once again with a painful „Ouf.“.  
But you didn't linger on it and quickly picked up the coconuts. First you had to remove the peel, the yellowish husk around the shell. You searched around the rocks you used as a seat last time and found a smaller flint like one. Your plan was to split it by smashing it against the stone. It took quite a lot of tries, but you managed it. The result was a sharp tool like rock. With that, and with a lot of work, you managed to peel off the husk. Now you had to open the coconut. You tried to smash your tool rock against it and managed to break the rock that you worked so hard for. You groaned and threw the coconut against the stones with a mixture of anger and hope of getting it to open. Sadly the coconut only hit the stone with an unsatisfying clonk and landed on the ground, still not open.  
  
With another frustrated groan you sunk to the ground and stared on your feet. They were sweaty and felt swollen and just added to your frustration. Just when you were about to take your shoes off you had a strange voice.  
  
„Even for a _malihini_ you're pretty incompetent.“

Your head snapped around to the source of the voice. Your eyes were already very used to the dark and you were able to see a broad and tall figure standing under the trees. Someone who could help you, a human!  
  
„Oh thank goodness!“, you exclaimed and got up to your feet, having the urge to hug the stranger. But you could hold back and only took a few steps towards the person. „You have no idea how lost I was!“

„To be honest, I have a good idea. You can't even husk a coconut.“ the man said. With one of his hands he pointed to the failure of a coconut behind you.

„W-well...“ you mumbled and looked down. You knew that you've been kind of helpless with that. You shrugged and looked back to the person. „I'm not from here.“. The man snorted in amusement and nodded with a huge grin. You didn't know if he was friendly, spiteful or just found the situation too funny. You weren't offended, because nothing was wrong with finding a little amusement in your situation. It was probably better to see it from the funny side, so you huffed a little jokingly as well.

„I figured. You look strange and behave like a child that fell head over heels into a pit of chicken poop.“ he said and stepped a little closer to you. He left the shadows of the jungle and into the moonlight, giving you an opportunity to get a look on him. He certainly didn't look like he fell head over heels into a chicken poop pool. He was muscular – probably the most muscular person you've ever seen – and tall. His dark skin was covered in black tattoos that were present on every body part. Before you could ponder more you suddenly realized the meaning of his words and muttered a silent „Hey...!“. But before you could add more the man made a peaceful gesture. „That wasn't meant to be an insult. Simply was a statement. I actually want to help you, because that's my thing. I'll show you how things work here so you're not lost anymore.“ You nodded along, liking what he said. You certainly didn't want to feel this lost anymore and again. And if you had to spend some weeks here, maybe months, then it was good to know how to care for yourself. You couldn't always rely on strangers.

But you started to wonder. If this guy was from here – and he certainly was, guessing by his skirt thing made out of rope, leaves and shells – then there must be more people. They do live in villages and tribes, right? Maybe they would welcome you, help you a little and probably even had a way to contact people from outside their tribe. That thought made you smile while staring at the stranger in front of you.  
  
„Hey, buddy. Huhu!“ the man said and waved one of his hands in front of your eyes. You blinked comically and looked into his eyes. „Welcome back. I know I'm hard to resist but that doesn't mean you have to devour me with your eyes.“ he said in a joking voice and winked at you. You raised both of your eyebrows at him.  
  
„I haven't!“ you mumbled and took a step back, away from him while raising your hands in a defending manner. „I was just thinking that I certainly need help if I have to stay here for a while. That's all.“  
  
„Good thing you got me now, hm?“ he took a step forward, so you two were back to the distance you both have kept before. „I'll help you out, show you some things, then lead you to a safe place before I show you the village. Sounds like good help?“  
  
Right. Help.That was a very good thing. And this pack of muscles looked like he could climb any trees, or break any damned fruit. So you nodded and held out your hand. You figured that it was time for some introductions. When he took it you told him your name and asked for his. He laughed quietly.  
„Right. You're not from here.“, he said in an amused voice and shook your hand in a weirdly careful manner, as if he could break your bones by just touching you. „I'm Maui, guardian of Anuenue Island, which you're standing on right now.“

_____


	2. U-iii?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coconuts have monkey faces and Maui loves making Uiii noises?

You were wondering what „Guardian of Anuenue Island“ meant, but before you could ask he had let go of your hand and walked past you to the abandoned coconut. He picked it up and looked at it.  
  
„You really dislike coconuts, don't you?“ he said and scratched at the shell of the fruit.  
  
„What do you mean by that?“ you said and stepped to him, but not too close. Who knew if he was safe? Sure, you accepted his help, but that didn't mean you trusted him. Even when he beamed an enjoying smile to you that looked really good on him.

„You practically tortured that poor thing. Scratched and threw it!“  
  
„How else am I suppose to open that thing?“ you said, a little louder than you wanted. You instantly muttered a „Sorry.“. The man, Maui, looked at you with a smirk, grabbed your poor broken tool rock and turned back to you. With a gesture he made sure that you were looking and showed you three dark spots on the coconut.  
  
„See these? It's a monkey face.“ he said. And really, it looked like a face with two eyes and an O-shaped mouth. „Now, just take something sharp and open the mouth.“ And with that he smashed the sharp tool into a dark spot. Instead of the rock smashing it was the coconut this time. The rock went through the shell. With a little pulling the rock was out again. „And now you have a drink. Enjoy!“ he said and handed you the coconut. It wasn't fully cracked, but one of the spots was a big hole now. Eagerly you put the opening to your mouth and drowned the fluid, not really recognizing the taste. But it was refreshing and felt so good running down your throat.

You sighed in relief and before you could even say „Thank you“ Maui held out another opened coconut. This one was barely freed from the husk, but still open. You drank the water inside of this as well and felt much better. Now you sighed a genuine thanks to the man.  
  
„You're welcome. Now that you've successfully downed monkey goo how about something to eat?“ Before he could even open the first coconut you broke out into a small giggling fit. Monkey goo just sounded so innocent and funny to you. You didn't notice, but Maui was looking at you with a genuine and pride smile on his face. It felt good to make someone laugh, even when they were going through a hard time. And man, did you have a hard time in front of you. Full of confusion, desperation, denial and much more. He had witnessed it more than once before. And you did look good with a smile on your face. Better than the wrinkled face of frustration and sadness that you maybe haven't even noticed. When you stopped giggling he continued. „Alright _U'i_ , enough of giggling, more of eating.“ Maui said and held out the coconut to you. You only wondered for a moment what the „U-iii“ sound was he had made but quickly grabbed the food. The meat inside was white as snow and looked like the most delicious thing you've ever seen. You never had fresh coconut before, but you decided that you could get used to it.  
  
Your helper opened the second coconut as well, and you thankfully ate. Maui himself picked a banana from the tree nearby and munched on it. You tried to scratch out the last bits of the coconut meat when Maui started to talk again.  
  
„So,“ he started as he threw the peel away. „How did you end up here?“. You made a „Hm...“ sound and lowered the coconut. You pondered a little, but feared that you would become too confused again and already had a feeling of helplessness.

„I don't really know...“ you mumbled and didn't feel hungry anymore. It was easy to not think about how you ended up here, and you wanted to go back to the blissful state of not knowing. You heard a puff next to you.

„Great, the usual answer. How original.“ Maui said in a disappointed tone and rolled with the eyes. You decided to ignore it and just shrugged as you threw the coconut away.  
  
„Time for you to go to a safe place.“ he said after a while and gave you friendly pats on your shoulders. Again, in a careful manner, so to not hurt you. But it was still comforting. It was nice to know that you had someone native to these lands on your side. He made a gesture to follow him and you did so. You were still doubting it a little tho; this man sometimes was confusing, but then again, your whole situation was confusing. So you followed this stranger without questioning it. Also, „safe place“ sounded amazing.  
It was quite a walk, and you felt sore and tired again. Stupid coconuts, you thought and yawned. The both of you walked to higher grounds, and along the way the big man sometimes pointed out some things you would've missed: an edible root over there, plants you could use for house building, animals that were safe to hunt and eat or were venomous or poisonous. You didn't really remember all these things, only some of them, but you still liked to listen. It kept your thoughts away from the questions you had, and you liked the voice of the man. He spoke in a friendly tone, but also calm, as if he wanted to comfort you by just talking.

After a long time you heard water rushing. Both of you haven't said anything for a while, but you have been too tired to think about anything but how to put one foot in front of the other. Maui has led you to another clearing, but this time there was a little brook going through it. You also saw a few trees with ripe bananas on them, as well as an unknown tree. Fruit like things were hanging on vines and looked golden, red and green. When Maui saw your questioning look he raised an eyebrow.  
  
„Don't tell me there aren't Mangoes in your world.“ he said with a monotone voice and looked back to the tree. Now that he said it you did notice the fruits as ripe Mangoes. Your mouth was watering at the thought of the sweet treat, but then you felt your mouth going dry when you processed the words „In your world.“  
  
„My... my world?“ you asked uncertainly. Maui's expression softened. He looked around a little, saw a soft spot on the ground, right under the trees and shrubs, and gestured for you to sit down.  
Both of you sat there silently for a while. The suppressed questions rose in your tired mind, but you kept quiet. It seemed that Maui was ready to talk, and you had the weird feeling that he knew what was going on. He acted so normal and nonchalant around you, but you were still a stranger to him. He even said that you looked strange and acted weirdly. But maybe this also was just the culture of the tribe? To welcome anyone who wasn't hostile. And by all means, you really weren't. You always tried to be friendly at first and stayed open minded.  
  
Still, you somehow got the feeling that there was more to it. You haven't met anyone like him before, and you didn't mean his looks. He seemed so confident and acted as if he owned the world, but shared it with everyone and didn't claim ownership. His movements showed this as well, his whole body language, tone of voice and expressions were like this. It was another confusing thing: He acted like he was so full of himself, proud of who he was, but still cared for a complete stranger who was helpless and confused? You didn't know what to think of him, but he was weirdly sympathetic to you. You still didn't trust him, but you felt more comfortable around him than you have been when you were back at the other place. Maybe it was also your very tired mind. Who knew.

After a long time of just sitting together – you almost fell asleep – Maui took a deep breath and turned to look at you.  
„Well, gotta say, you're pretty patient, _U'i_.“ he said and shot you a smile. You questioned the „Uiii“ sound again but decided to ignore it, so you just nodded along. Maui did a „hrmpf.“ noise, but it kind of sounded complimenting. „Alright, let's start. Hold your questions for the end, I'll most likely answer all of them as I go on.“

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Mangoes aren't native to Hawaii, but then again, this is a fictional place in a fictional world. Who knows - maybe Maui had an adventure where he either found or created the mango?


	3. Lift the Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confirmed: Maui is a big fuzzy pushover. 
> 
> (He is slightly OOC here, but he holds a soft spot in his grinch sized heart for Mahilinis)

Maui suddenly clapped his hands together and rubbed them. He looked straight forward and started what was suppose to become a huge monologue. You braced yourself.

„So. You're probably pretty confused. Maybe scared, or sad, or terrified. But there really is no need to.“ he said and looked back to you with an understanding look in his eyes. „You landed on Anuenue Island, most likely a place that does not exist in your world.“   
When you wanted to ask what he meant by that again, he raised a hand to interrupt you. „Let me finish, hold your questions for the end.“ You nodded and tried to calm yourself, so you could listen. Maui lowered his hand and turned his gaze towards to other end of the clearing again.   
„You probably ask yourself how you ended up here, or where you are, and if you can return. I can answer all of that for you. But speaking from experience I can already tell that you won't believe me, either run away or curse me, declaring me insane and tell me to do unspeakable things to my knee.“ He turned to you again and huffed at your expression. You doubted you would do any of these and gave him a pout face. He hasn't even started to explain things but he was already so quick to judge.

With a simple shrug he continued. „Despite all that I'll tell you, because I can't leave a _mahilini_ confused now, can I?“. He shuffled a little, crossed his legs and rested his hands on his knees.   
„To get a start I gonna have to tell you that there are more worlds, or dimensions, than one. Some who came here before you already thought and believed that, but didn't think that traveling between the worlds was possible.“   
At that your mouth opened and stayed open. Maui eyed you from the corner of his view and did a knowing noise. One of his statements already came true: you started to doubt him. You tried to deny your disbelief, but it was hard to do so. After all, this stranger just told you that multiple dimensions were a thing, and even more, that traveling between those was possible. It was hard to believe that. Maui continued before you could express your doubts.

„Yeah yeah, I know. But yet here you are, a place completely different from where you've been right before you passed out. You were probably just busy with your life, doing chores, or anything, and you don't remember anything that happened after you passed out.“ His theory from before might've been unbelievable but what he had described right now was more than true. He was completely right.   
„But I'm sure you can think of moments from before you closed your eyes. And it probably wasn't … too... nice.“ he trailed of and for the first time since you've met him he looked uncertain and kind of sad. At his words you got light flashbacks again: the street, the screeching of wheels on asphalt, your own terrified gasp -

Maui got you back to reality by slightly and carefully shaking you by the shoulder. You turned your gaze back to him and concentrated on his eyes only. As far as you could see in the moonlight they were a dark brown, and were now filled with worry.   
„You died.“ he simply stated. It may have been harsh, but there was no other way of telling you. Something like that couldn't be said lightly, no matter what words someone chose. That was something you understood. You bit your lower lip as it hit you. No one could've survived an impact like that. You weren't an exception. Tears were gathering at the corners of your eyes when you thought of everything you lost and weren't able to get to again. Maui's hand landed on your shoulder again and stayed there, heavy but comforting.

„I know, buddy, I know.“ he said, but you doubted him. How could he know? How could he even have a pin prick of an idea of how you felt right now? You wanted to deny all of it, scream at him, tell him how he dares to say it. But at the same time you still remembered the blinding lights of the car, the yells of the people around you... and then everything just cuts off. No pain, no shock, nothing. Until you woke up here without a clue of how you ended up here. Maui has been someone who helped you without asking for something in return. And now he was offering an explanation and even if it was sounding like a fairy tale, it was the only thing to hold on right now. So you simply gulped a few times, bit down your tears and took a few breaths. You concentrated on Maui's hand that was on your shoulder, a thing that grounded you right now. You placed your hands on the soft ground and weaved your fingers through the grass and moss. It soothed your nerves.

You looked back at Maui, still close to crying, but actually keeping it together. A mixture of confusion, doubts and wonder was written over his face.   
„... What?“ you asked gently and with a shaking voice, simply curious of what he was thinking. Shouldn't you be the one to be confused and doubting? He simply blinked once, turned away and huffed.

„Usually, _mahilinis_ start telling me that I'm crazy at this point.“ he explained and took his hand off your shoulder. „They say that it can't be true, that I can't know this and that they don't want to have anything to do with me anymore.“ An expression of pain and regret crossed his face for a single moment until returning to his neutral one. You grabbed the opportunity to ask one question, nothing that would interrupt him.

„What's a mali... macci... roni?“ you asked. He said these words so fats that you couldn't remember them completely, but you still knew it wasn't any word that you recognized.

„ _Mahilini_? Ah, that's a small little word that i use to describe people like you. It means 'Newcomer' or 'Traveler'.“ he said and smiled proudly, certainly happy with himself that he found such a fitting word. But his explanation gave you another question, and you hoped it was okay to ask. You knew he would tell you if not, so you just tried. You made sure that he was listening, and he showed you that he was by smiling and raising an eyebrow at you.

„How come I can understand everything you say, except some few words like that?“ you started, but continued before he could answer. „I'm sure you actually don't speak my mother tongue, and I am very certain that I don't speak yours; so how come we can talk together but you can still use words I don't understand?“   
He gave a small chuckle, a sound that somehow calmed you down. Not much, but it gave you the feeling that everything was okay.   
„Because the author thought it was a neat idea.“ he said in a joking tone and beamed a goofy smile at you. His lighthearted tone may calmed and comforted you more, but his words deeply confused you.   
„The... what?“ you asked, a thing you've probably said a thousand times in the past few hours. Maui just shrugged and pat your shoulder.   
„Nothing important. Just go along. If there are words you want to know, just ask me!“  
„Alright... thanks.“ you simply sighed and dealt with it. Maybe it wasn't good to linger on such a small thing and looked up to Maui with an expecting look in your eyes. The lightened mood has made you feel better, so you were ready for more explanations. The man next to you sensed it and continued.  
  
„Well, you left your world by... let's call it 'ending the chapter' and you started a new chapter instead of ending the whole book. Your old life in your world ended, and you started a new one here, in this world. It'll be most likely very different from where you come from.“, he turned to you with a questioning look as if asking if he was correct. You simply nodded. Until now this place has proofed to be very different from where you came from. Not that you disliked it, but you weren't sure what to think of it yet. 

Maui nodded as well and continued: „See it as a second chance. Or an opportunity to life a different life, to meet new people, learn new things. You'll keep your memories, your skills, anything. I guess the best would be to see it from the positive side.“. He sounded actually excited by this, probably trying to make it contagious and get you excited as well. But he failed. You were still kind of mourning the loss of your old life, the loss of everything and everyone you had. He seemed to see your doubts about this and tried a more sensitive approach. „I guess you should give it time. Get used to your situation and remember your old life until the memories are no longer bitter, but sweet and comforting. If you want, you don't have to be alone during that time.“ He struck a pose, pointed to himself and smiled a grin which was proud, full of himself and confident. „Maui here will sort it out!“

Weirdly enough this sounded great to you. This man did sound crazy, but like before, it was the only explanation you had right now. It gave your fear ridden mind at least something to hold on, and something that told you that not everything was bad. Maui himself was kind of pleasing; maybe a little too arrogant and self-loving, but still kind and friendly. So you smiled at him, a true and genuine smile, even when you still felt like crying and bawling.

There was a moment of comfortable silence between the two of you. While looking up to the sky you thought a little about trying to see positivity, and it seemed to be a good idea. You couldn't change your situation, and while you will miss your friends, family and everything else, you think that you could muster up the strength to embrace your new life. Starting with the little things: You landed in a beautiful place. Even at night it was pleasantly warm while the air was fresh. The forest was lush and resourceful, the fruits delicious and satisfying. Who knew what was out there to be discovered? A sudden change of emotions made you excited. Who know what this world held? What would be different? You certainly wanted to know and learn.

While you were in thoughts you didn't notice how Maui was watching you. Never did he have such a successful conversation with a Traveler. Usually they left him when he confirmed them that they died in their world, or that they've landed in a different dimension. He never came this far, and certainly none of them have ever been this calm. But now you even smiled as you looked up. It wasn't a very happy smile, or a satisfied smile, but an expression someone held when they had a sense of hope. It suited you.   
  
He was so proud of himself. Not only did he manage to answer some of your questions, but he also felt like he took some weigh off your shoulders. He knew that this situation you were in weighed more than the sky, but he would help to lift it for you. He lifted the sky once, he could surely do it again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boy, that was complicated to write. Don't worry, this won't be all of the explanations he'll do. more in the future!


	4. The Hike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maui and yourself start to go your merry ways, but this island is bigger than you thought

So there you two sat, and while Maui was pondering about what other good deeds he could do for you, you slowly fell asleep. Your mind was calmer, you worked the whole night and just nodded off while sitting. Maui didn't notice at first, not until he heard a quiet „thud“ followed by a quiet „Ow“. You actually fell over and were now rubbing your head that banged against the stump of the tree. The man couldn't hold back a chuckle.

„Alright _U'i_ , time for you to sleep.“ he said and made a soothing gesture. You were pretty awake now with an aching head, but nodded. The ground was soft, and the moon was already going down. Sleep was probably long overdue, so you laid down on the ground and closed your eyes. Just when you were drifting off you heard shifting next to you and you turned around. Maui was standing now and looked like he wanted to go away. At this you shot up again. You didn't want to be alone in this place. And you certainly didn't want the only person you've met so far leave you behind. He saw your panic and calmed you.

„You'll get more Maui in the morning.“ he said with a confident wink. You didn't even reacted to the playful tone in his voice and simply nodded. As long as it meant that he would be back.

He gave you a small wave and left the clearing. You watched as he went off. If he thought that it was safe to leave you behind after showing such a caring behavior, then everything should be fine. He wouldn't leave you if there were dangerous things, right? You two also walked around a lot without being harmed or threatened, so you trusted all of this and laid back down again. You were too tired, and so you slept a dreamless sleep.

 

The sun was up high already when you woke up. Not that it was too late in the day, but you missed the morning certainly. You couldn't figure out what woke you up until you heard noises coming from the clearing in front of you. Slowly you sat up and noticed that your hands and feet were hurting a lot. With a painful sigh you took off your shoes and socks and felt some kind of relief. Then you looked around and saw that Maui was present and seemed to be busy by gathering materials and food on what seemed to be a bag made out of leaves. He hasn't noticed that you were awake and continued to work. He looked different in the sunlight, even bigger and bulkier. If you hadn't have met him before you even would've described him as „intimidating“. But you knew that he was a friendly one, and you were glad that he came back. It meant that he didn't leave and was still willing to help you.

You wondered if every person in this place – in this world – looked like him. Maybe they all were so muscular and big. It was possible, maybe such a stature was needed in this environment. And what was with all the tattoos? They looked very tribal, but you could also spot a few comic like figures who most likely resembled Maui himself. You couldn't try to get a closer look because the man in question just noticed that you've been staring at him. A quiet chuckled got carried over to you, and you recognized it as the one you've heard when you fell from the banana tree, right after when you woke up.

„Staring isn't good for your eyes, _U'i._ “ he said jokingly and made his way over to you. You scrambled up to your feet and noticed with a relief that your headache was gone. Besides from sore muscles you actually felt pretty good. You stretched a little and heard your bones pop in several places. Sleeping on the ground might not become your favorite activity in your new life. „Yikes.“ Maui said as he reached your side.

  
„Indeed.“ you agreed and rubbed your neck and face before looking up to him. He was standing pretty close to you, and you felt tiny compared to him. Before you went back to staring – which seems to become a habit for you – you said a simple „Good morning.“

„Good morning, then again, morning is long over.“ he said teasingly and poked your side. A chuckle escaped him as you jumped. „Someone is one lazy bag of meat.“  
  
„Hey! Not nice...“ you mumbled and rubbed your side while pouting. „Before I... washed up here I was actually very hard working.“. When you looked back to Maui you saw that one of his eyebrows was raised as high as possible, with a doubting but amused look on his face.

  
„Really now? Then why are you all meat but no strength.“ and with that he poked your side again. And once again you jumped a little.   
  
„Are you trying to say that I'm chubby?“. The playful behavior of the two of you cheered you up. It felt good to have someone who was able to make you feel happy, and you thankfully joined in the fun. Just like him the other night you struck a pose and pointed to you. „I am perfectly fine, thank you very much.“

„Didn't say you're fat.“ a quiet laugh went along with his words. „But you need more muscles if you want to live without a babysitter.“ And with that he returned to his bag and tied it together. „You'll need a lot of training, and I know the right place where you can do that safely. And since there are more people it means that I won't have so much work.“   
  
You followed him and just stood there as he heaved the bag off the ground. It was filled with fruits, leaves and even some stones. This bag must've been very heavy, yet it looked like he was carrying it easily, as if it was filled with feathers. You pointed to the package.

„What's this for?“ you asked, and Maui shrugged a little.

„It's a long way and a difficult hike. Don't want that you lose energy so I don't have to carry you there.“ he simply said and started walking without another word, leaving you standing there for a moment. A long and difficult hike, and you didn't even have breakfast. But Maui didn't let you complain, waited at the edge of the clearing and called for you. You then were quick to follow him, afraid that he might leave you behind again.

Maui's words stayed true: the way was long and difficult, but only for you. The man climbed rocks without any problems, didn't stumble once and even with being bulky and big, he jumped and walked with an elegance that only someone who had done this their whole life could do. He walked through the thicket as if the leaves and shrubs parted for him, while you constantly got twigs and vines into your face. Bugs and other tiny animals landed in your hair, and you tried to get them out by combing it with your fingers. You must've looked awful. Your clothes were dirty and started to slowly tear at some places, and the worst thing was that you forgot your shoes. But you couldn't muster up the courage to ask and get them back; Maui himself always walked with bare feet. And as you two had to climb a little you were thankful, because your toes dug into the smallest edges and you had a safer grip. But tiny stones constantly dug into your skin, and when you stepped on something sharp you let out a tiny shriek of pain.

Maui instantly turned around with a face filled with worry and even horror. He thought you fell, or got attacked by something. But when he saw that you simply sunk to the ground to get a thorn out of your foot his expression fell into one of amusement and something that told you that he wanted to say „Really now?“ out loud. You simply looked down to your foot and tried to pull out the thorn, but Maui was quicker. He jumped to your side and grabbed your foot and very gently pushed your hands away.

With a care that you never have expected from a man this strong he gripped the thorn and pulled it out. But instead of pulling it out straight he pulled it off to the side, and you barely felt any pain at all. Usually things like that hurt, but not this time. Maui threw the thorn away and muttered something under his breath.  
  
„Huh?“ you made while getting up again. It did bleed, but only a little bit. You hoped by god the wound wouldn't get infected, but Maui was already on his way again. He sighed as he continued to walk.

„I said you have soft feet. Might feel nice, but it's not practical.“ he said over his shoulders. „There are plants – and animals – that can lead to worse injuries when stepped on. Keep your eyes open, okay?“  
  
You simply nodded and made a confirming noise. You hoped you wouldn't experience worse things, because that tiny thorn already had hurt a lot.

You two continued your way, and unlike last night you two didn't speak. You only concentrated on the way and tried not to stumble or fall behind. Your gaze wandered over to Maui, especially to his feet. Soon you caught yourself trying to copy his movements: using small jumps to step on the roots instead of trying to avoid them; raising your arm to protect your face from leaves and twigs; turning your body a little sideways to avoid plants with thorns. All of this helped a little, but compared to Maui you felt clumsy and ridiculous. You still stumbled and had to organize your feet again while he simply continued his way.   
  
After what seemed to be hours you made your first stop for a break. With a sigh of relief you sunk to the ground to catch your breath. Maui also sat down next to you, but unlike you he seemed fit. You were sweaty and exhausted, and he still looked like he could go on for hours. Neither of you said something, but Maui handed you some food and a pouch that was filled with water. You eagerly but thankfully grabbed all of it.

„How are you feeling?“ Maui asked when you finished. He stored the pouch back into the bag.  
  
„Umm... pretty good.“ you lied. You wanted to sleep and never walk again. Your feet hurt so much, just like your arms and chest. You looked up to the sky to see that the sun has passed its zenith already. It was past noon. Maui saw this as well.

„We aren't really good in time. Could be that we have to pause at night.“ he said with a disappointing tone and then sighed. „I was hoping we could make it to the village this evening, but I guess it'll be tomorrow at noon. Maybe even later.“

The implied and slight criticism gnawed on your more than you wanted to admit. Of course you were slower than him, and clumsier. You never have been in an environment like this: so untouched and difficult. He probably has been here his whole life.

Then again, you could've done more for your body. Go to fitness studios, do more work out, eat healthier. But you wanted to change that. You had the sudden urge to proof yourself and got up. Maui looked at you with a puzzled expression. Without a word you stomped along and hoped that he would follow. You heard him getting up to his feet but he didn't follow you. After a few steps you became slower, then turned around to him. He was barely visible through the leaves and shrubs.

„You're going the wrong way, _U'i_.“ he said and burst into laughter when you trotted back to him. Well, this plan maybe didn't work, but at least you're back on your feet again. Maui shot you a last smirk before leading the way again. You followed with a sigh, hoping to have another break soon. This one has been far too short, and you still felt hungry. But you powered through the next part of the hike, and when Maui said it was time for another break you were the one who insisted on walking a little further. He didn't look like it, but he was impressed: surely you weren't used to this environment and journeys like this one, yet you kept going on.

You were a peculiar _mahilini_ : not only were you patient, but you seemed to at least consider his explanation. Surely you still didn't believe him, but you weren't shouting or denying him. He never has come this far with someone like you and to be honest, he never really cared if they denied his help. But he caught himself thinking that if you would start to deny anything next time then he would try his best to convince you and help you.

He had taken a liking to you, some spontaneous sympathy that he accepted. You were a friendly one, and kindhearted. You listened when he pointed out some things, and you seemed ready to learn. He was curious about your future, and what part he would play in it.

He just hoped that the people back at the village would accept you as well.

 

 


	5. People of Anuenue

You two were walking till the night, rested till morning and continued. And just like Maui pretended you two reached the village the next day, a little before noon.

When it came in sight you were stunned. Not only was the thought of more food, rest and company beautiful, but the village itself was also breathtaking. It looked like paradise. It was close to the beach, but not so close that the cool breeze would bother anyone. The houses were simple, yet looked inviting and safe. In the middle of the village was a huge fire pit, currently not in use, but you imagined that it would look great when a big fire was burning in it. You could see a people rushing around between the houses and doing their chores: some were carrying food: fishes, coconuts, fruits. Other were building new homes, or other functional buildings. Woman were weaving, kids were playing, men were going out to the shore to start a new fishing trip.

The man who has led you here gave you a moment to take it all in before saying „Let's go. We've prepared a place for you to stay, so you can rest up.“. You nodded and followed Maui, before questioning something.   
„How do they know that we're coming? I mean, they may be expecting you, but I'm a complete stranger. I... I don't want to be an inconvenience.“

„I hurried here two days ago, after we met the first time.“ he told you and showed you a way down to the beach, to the village. You carefully followed, looking out so you wouldn't slip or stumble. „I told the chief that you need help, and he told the villagers. Almost everyone was fine with the idea of helping you, so you won't be an inconvenience. Trust me.“ He added the last part as if he sensed your doubts. But you didn't doubt that the people of Anuenue weren't nice enough to help you, you were doubting something else.  
  
„You came back here after we met... and then got back to me before I woke up?“ you asked. It was a very long way to the clearing you've been, and it took a whole day for you to get here. He would've had to run the whole way to the village and back to reach you in this short time. Or find a way to fly over the forest and hills.  
  
„Eh, I have my ways.“ he says and continues his way down. A few people already spotted the two of you, shouted welcomes to Maui and carried the word to the people, and most likely to the leader as well.

„Are you telling me there was an easier way to get here?!“ you asked with a stressed voice. Did he just put you through the terrible hike just to teach you a lesson or something?  
  
„Well, for me, yes. Would've been complicated to get you here this way tho.“ he said leisurely. Well, at least he didn't lie, and he has been nice enough to go through the hard way with you.

The two of you reached the edge of the village, and the word has been carried fast. Children were jumping towards Maui and welcomed him back with laughs and giggles. You were surprised to see Maui being very patient with them, greeting them all while he continued his way towards the center of the place. You followed him a little hesintantly and listened to the chatter of the kids.   
  
„Maui Maui Maui!“ they were saying over and over again. „Did you have an adventure?“

„You could say so.“ he answered and gently lifted a kid who was standing right before him and put them to the side, so he could move forwards again. „I brought us a guest. Be nice to them, alright?“  
At this the kids turned to you, and their faces turned into one of wonder and surprise. Soon you were the one who was circled by children, and unlike Maui you couldn't move forward. Many small voices were asking you things in a very excited tone.   
„Who are you?“ „Why do you look so weird?“ „Your hair is nice!“ „Where do you come from?“

„Ummm...“ you just made and tried to smile at every single kid and answer their questions. Maui watched the whole scene with an amused look, but he was content. At least you weren't mean to kids. That was a good sign. Overall, he had a good feeling about you. Maybe you were a great addition to the village.

But after a while he let out a gentle laugh at the kids and said „Okay, okay. Give them some space, buddies.“

Instantly they many swarmed out and went back to play. Some stayed with you, too curious to just go away, but they weren't bothering you too much anymore. One of the kids, a little girl with flowers in her hair who could barely walk yet, took one of your hands to steady herself. Your heart melted a little at this, and you made sure that the little one didn't fall over. When you grinned at the little kid it giggled and hopped at your side.

Soon you two reached the part of the village that was busier. Everyone greeted Maui, but when you came into view everyone grew silent and watched you. But instead of giving a feel of hostility you noticed that most these people were simply curious, just like the kids. Some even smiled to you, nodded when you passed, and you returned the gesture.   
The girl on your hand giggled and walked off to a woman who welcomed her with open arms, most likely her mother. When she looked back at you she joined her kid who was waving you goodbye. You simply waved back.

All of this happened while you followed Maui to the center. There was a big hut there, made out of loam, hay, leaves and wood. A few people have gathered around there, sitting in a circle and talking while the life was brimming around them. They weren't disturbed, but people continued what they were doing.

Among the people was a young man in a colorful outfit. He had an artful headdress that looked like a crown, and you immediately assumed that he was the leader of the people. When Maui stepped closer the conversation died and everyone greeted him with respect and warmth. Then everyone looked at, staying silent.

„Chief Ikaika, I've returned like I promised.“ Maui said and gesture to you. You wanted to shrink and disappear as everyone mustered you. „I bring the guest and newcomer that I've described.“

„You were suppose to return last night.“ the man in the colorful clothes said and stood up. He stepped closer to you and observed you a little.   
„We had some troubles along the way. Nothing too serious to worry about, although our guest is a little wounded.“ Maui gently took your arm and showed the chief your scratched arms and the small bruises you had collected along the way. You never have complained, since it hasn't hurt a lot but simply were uncomfortable. You turned your arm a little, it felt weird to be looked at like that.

„Hm...“ the chief made and looked into your eyes. You tried to look back, but you couldn't stand his fierce and powerful eyes. This truly was someone who knew that he was a leader. „Are they dangerous or hostile?“  
„No.“ Maui barely waited till the man has finished his sentence. „They haven't been anything but patient, friendly and strong.“ You wouldn't have called yourself strong, but you were smart enough to stay quiet about that.

At his words the chief noticeably relaxed and even offered you a smile. You also let out a huff of relive and smiled back. Maui chuckled a little and put a hand on your shoulder. „They may be a little unknowing and clumsy, but they're good. I had no troubles at all.“  
„Well, that is a wonderful thing to know. I'm sure the people are very relieved as well. To be honest, we didn't know what to think of someone so foreign, but we trust your word, Maui.“ And with that he turned to you, and spoke to you for the first time. „ _Mahilini_ , it is great to meet you. I'm Ikaika Waialiki, the current chief of Anuenue Island. I welcome you to our main village and to our people.“

For some reason you felt stunned at this warm welcome. When he first spoke to Maui you were afraid that he would be hostile towards you, but he seemed to trust Maui completely. You smiled again and introduced yourself and added a „Thank you for the welcome and the help“.

„Of course. We'll postpone any other introductions and conversations after you've rested up. Koa here will make sure you'll reach the hut safely.“ With that Ikaika gestured to a strongly built man. He smiled friendly and nodded, stood up and stepped to your side. You felt good that people were ready to help you, and Koa looked like a friendly fellow. With a warm expression he looked down to you. You returned the smile.   
  
„Actually, I was thinking that I could led them to the place.“ Maui said before he could stop himself. Why did he have the urge to guide you there? It was only a walk that would take a few minutes, and Koa was a great guide. Everyone liked that guy, but at this very moment Maui felt weirdly hurt. He was the one who found you, and who has guided you here. He could finish the job.   
„I would've suggested the same,“ Ikaika interrupted the thoughts of the tattoed man. „but we do need you at another place. The fishermen were complaining about their traps and net. It's the third time that they got destroyed at the same fishing grounds. A few tell about a sea creature destroying their equipment.“

At this you raised your eyebrows. But before you could hear more than Maui's frustrated groan and a „Again? This really must be something else than the tide.“ Koa led you away. As you followed the nice man you looked back to see Maui walking off to a different direction. You were sure you would meet your helper again some time.

Koa was nice enough to led you to a nice little hut a little off the center of the village. It was surrounded by other buildings but looked inviting and nice. Your helpmate lifted a piece of fabric that was dividing the outside from the room inside the hut. It wasn't much, but to you it looked quite homely: there was a bed dressed with white cotton sheets, a table and stool made out of wood and another table. On the second table were clothes, colorful pieces of fabric that were suppose to be held together with ropes and buttons made out of seashells.  
  
When Koa saw your gaze on the clothes he spoke up. „These are for you. The things you're wearing right now look torn and dirty. We figured you'll need a new set of clothes, so take a look if you like them and if they're comfortable and fit. If not, let anyone know. We're all here to help you.“ he said, and his voice was soft and calm. You nodded and turned back to look at him.  
  
„Thank you Koa, really. I appreciate it a lot. You all are so...“ you didn't have enough words to express your feelings. You still were slightly confused and sad, but seeing how all these friendly people were here to help made you feel a lot better.   
Koa just smiled gently at you. „Maui told us a little about you. No one deserves such a fate.“  
„Oh... he told you?“ a baffled feeling set down in your stomach. So people knew about what happened to you. But Koa didn't seemed to shy away, and neither did the others. So maybe it was better that way.   
„We hope that you can settle down here. I'm sure you'll meet great new friends and find a good life here.“ Koa took your hands in his, and the gesture made you a little shy. „I truly hope so. If you need anything, ask. If you have any wishes or problems, tell us.“  
  
You nodded and gave him a shy smile. The man gave your hands one last squeeze and then left you alone in the hut. You could still hear the noises from outside: people speaking, kids laughing, some clanking and other various noises. They were comforting and told you that you weren't alone, but in a village full of friendly people.   
  
You have been tired for a long time, and finally you were able to rest. You laid down on the foreign bed, and even if it was a little harder than any other bed you appreciated it. Way better than sleeping on the ground. You covered yourself with the thin cotton sheets, even if it wasn't really needed. It was pleasantly warm inside, and the wind didn't reach the insides of the room. Quickly you fell asleep.

You only woke up to turn around in the bed, get more comfortable or to listen to the noises for a while. But you always drifted back to sleep and dreamed about the people you've met. One time you also dreamed about your old place, only to wake up with a racing breath as the speeding car hit you in your dream. You had to calm yourself down and did so by listening. It was quite outside: you only heard a few footsteps and two quiet male voices whispering about the everyday life of Anuenue.   
  
„I've heard that the fishing group of Kale found a great new fishing place at the far east side of Palahe. The fish we had today was from there.“  
„Well, it really was a great meal. We should thank them for the find later.“  
„Indeed. We should also ask them if they could take us there sometime. I want to catch an Ulua just like the one Kale caught.“

After that the voices became too quiet to follow, but you were already drifting back to sleep.

 


	6. The village of Anuenue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is time for you to explore! Anuenue might be big, but the village is cozy enough

The next time you awoke was in the morning. The lively chatter from outside woke you up, and for a while you just laid there to listen. The village woke up, more and more footsteps could be heard, more people talked and walked past and around your hut, and soon kids were playing around. At one point you could hear a child ask „Is this were our guest lives?“ before the mother hushed them and answered „Yes, but let them rest, they have it hard.“  
  
After that you decided to get up. You tidied up the bed and looked at the clothes on the table. Your own clothes were torn apart, dirty and didn't fit into the enviroment. It was best to do your best to fit in, so you wouldn't confuse the people around you. Also, you wanted to make sure to appreciate the help and gifts that were given to you, so you took off your clothes and put on the colorful fabrics. They were rough against your skin, but you were sure that you would get used to it. You fiddled with the ropes and the buttons for a long time, but in the end the clothes fit you nicely enough. The old jeans and t-shirt of yours laid abandoned on the table now.

As you stepped outside the hut you were greeted by the wonderful morning sun – and a Koa sitting next to the entrance of the hut. As soon as you stepped out he scrambled to his feet.   
„Good morning _mahilini_!“ he said and yawned a little, but shot you a smile.   
„Hello Koa! How are you doing?“ you asked and looked at the man. He was tall – not as tall as Maui, and certainly not as muscular and broad, but he still had a well trained body. A few tattoos were sprawled over his arms.

„Ikaika asked me to greet you when you wake up. Since I didn't know when this would be I've been here since the sun raised her first rays over the ocean.“ he smiled in a goofy way at you. „Turns out you slept a lot longer.“  
  
You blushed a little in embarrassment and mumbled an apology. Koa waved it off. „It's alright, I have nothing else to do today. I've been asked if I could show you the village and some important places. Is that alright with you?“  
  
„Of course“ you said instantly. Koa was a good guy and sympathetic to you, just like Maui. Maybe not exactly so, because Maui has been louder and more boisterous. Your new companion radiated an aura of calmness and friendliness. He smiled brightly at your answer and was ready to jump off.   
  
„First! We are going to have breakfast.“ he said and led you back to the center of the village, but not to the big building. When you two reached the center he guided you to a fire pit – smaller than the one you've seen before – and told you to sit down on the ground which was covered in rags made out of wooden fibers. A few other villagers were also gathered around the fire to have a late breakfast, and they greeted Koa and you. Usually they used the word „ _mahilini_ “ towards you, and you wondered if that's because of Maui. But you didn't mind, the foreign word sounded nice and described you well enough. You were a Newcomer after all.

The breakfast was great: grilled fruits and vegetables and a few meat pieces that you soon recognized as cooked fish with salt. It was the first warm meal since two days and you felt a lot better. You and Koa chatted with the people a little, and you mostly answered questions about where you come from. But they also asked if you were doing fine, and if your wounds hurt a lot. You made sure to reassure everyone that they were only scratches and nothing too serious.

After the chatter the two of you went on and through the village. It was a nice place: everything was functional, but still beautiful. It has this certain foreign charm to it that you usually got when you visited new places. Koa made sure to show you the most important places: the main building where the chief and his family lived; the huge fire pit were feasts and festivals were held; the shed were fishing groups, collectors and other workers kept their equipment. Soon he led you to the outskirts of the place and showed you the farms and the river that was weaving through the woods and rushing into the ocean. Just before the rivers meets the ocean it was cascading down some rocks, creating a beautiful waterfall.   
  
„When it's the right time, the sun hits the water just the right way to create a rainbow.“ Koa told you and showed you the sun. It seemed to be the right time of day, since you could faint colors over the mist of water. „This is how our Island got its name: Anuenue means 'rainbow'.“  
„Oh! That's beautiful!“ you exclaimed and looked down to where the ocean met the water. „Everything seems to have a meaning here.“   
„Wasn't it like this in your world?“ Koa asked, but cleared his throat instantly. „That is, if you don't want to talk about it-“  
„No no, it's fine.“ you reassured him.“ And I guess there were many meanings hidden behind things, but that's what they were: hidden. If you wanted to find out you had to do a lot of research. I guess most symbols and meanings were lost through time and ignorance...“ you mumbled the last part.

Koa nodded and watched the water with you for a while.

„We also nearly forgot who we were at some point.“ he started without turning his gaze off of the rippling water. „But thanks to our old Chief and Maui we found our ways again and could return to our mighty selves.“  
You raised an eyebrow at this. „How did Maui help? He seems to be a little young to me to be able to help the old chief...“. To you Maui appeared to be around your age, maybe a little older. And you've seen Ikaika: He was just the same. If Koa said old chief you assumed he meant the chief before Ikaika, meaning Maui must've known this person before Ikaika was born. He must've been a baby back then if he met that person at all.   
  
Koa looked at you with a puzzled expression. „He hasn't told you about himself yet?“ he asked with slight disbelief in his voice. You nodded and then shrugged. Come to think of it, Maui barely has told anything about himself, except that his name was Maui and that he was something like a guardian to Anuenue Island, whatever that meant. The only other thing you knew about him is that he had a pretty good idea about your situation while you did not.   
  
The man beside you sighed and put his face in his hands, much like a face palm. „I can't believe this guy sometimes.“ he mumbled into his palms.  
„Why? What's wrong?“ you asked him. „He seems nice enough...“   
„Sure, when he's in a good mood.“ Koa took his hands off his face. After a moment he sighed and smiled at you. „Sorry, that was rude. Yes, he's a good and nice one. But it's best that I'll leave the explaining to him: It's nothing bad, but I think it would be less complicated if he tells things about him himself.“  
You nodded and said „Yes, of course. You don't have to at all.“. This way, Koa wouldn't say anything that Maui might not like. By all means, you knew how it was when people talked about you behind your back. There was no need to practice this on someone else.  
  
After a while of admiring the waterfall you two returned to the village. Koa has shown you the most important places and told you a few things about the village life.   
„Whenever you need to eat go to the place we've had breakfast. Usually, there are people around who also enjoy some food, so feel free to accompany them. When the sun goes down we usually end the day, except when there's a feast or festival. You'll receive invitations to those so you know when they start. At night there will be a few guards walking around, so don't worry if you hear some people walking around. If you need supplies, like clothes, bowls or anything else, don't hesitate to ask. Best is to go to the fireplace, people usually have time after they had a meal and will be willing to help.“  
  
You nodded along and thanked him for the explanations. Koa then left you after saying good bye. Some hours have passed, and evening was nearing. Now that you were alone you were kind of overwhelmed and didn't know what to do. You just awkwardly stood near your hut where Koa left you, but then decided to explore on your own. You walked the exact same way Koa showed you and remembered the lessons. Food here, equipment there, and so on. When you reached the waterfall you made a break and looked down to the shore. You saw a few boats rushing around, most likely coming back from a trip or going to fishing grounds. They looked great with their sails on the glistening water.

You didn't stay for long, since an idea crossed your mind. You wanted to actually see the boats from up close. You only have seen modern boats, but never some that didn't work with engines and the like. You were sure that it was interesting to see how these boats work, with only sails and ropes.

So you leisurely made your way down to the beach, following the way the ships were going. It felt nice walking along the shore, the sand was soft and warm while the water was refreshing your sore feet. You really could get used to this. When you didn't think about how you got here you actually could pretend that all of this was a vacation. Everything was new but positive, the people were nice, and the place you've landed on was paradise.

Before you could think more about it you saw something peculiar near the boats. A giant bird like creature was gliding next to the first boat, lazily flapping its wings from time to time. It didn't look hostile, quite the opposite actually: It looked like it made sure that the boats were safe, guiding them along the shores. But you were very surprised by its size, never have you seen a bird this big. At one point you could swear that it was staring back at you, but you were sure that it was just your imagination and the blinding light on the ocean.

No matter what, you continued your way and soon found the place were the boats would reach the shores. A few people already waited with baskets made out of leaves, and you shyly stepped closer to them. But like before most of them smiled and greeted you. You returned the gestures.   
„Hey, _mahilini_ , came here to help us?“ a woman asks and shook the basket in her hands.   
„Oh, sure, why not.“ you grabbed a basket yourself and waited as well. You continued to chat to the people a little as you all waited for the ships to come back to the shore. They asked you if you liked the place and you made sure to speak highly of it all. Not that you were lying; you really liked it here. You couldn't wait to explore more and talk with everyone. Hopefully you were able to make new friends. It was too early to call Maui or Koa your friends, but they seemed to be people you'd wanted to call your friends.

After a little chatting the boats reached the beach and the group of people stepped closer to the boat, including you. The fishermen filled the baskets with fish which then were carried back to the village. When you stepped closer the men smiled and filled your basket as well.   
„Thanks _mahilini_. That's great of you.“ one of the men said. You smiled up to him.

„Don't wanna be an useless leech.“ you joked and followed the other people back into town. While you were going there you looked up to the sky, hoping to see the huge bird again. But it was nowhere to be seen.

 

 


End file.
